South African grapefruit, tangerine/mandarin and lemon production are all projected to increase in 2023–24 compared to the prior year, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) semi-annual report.
GRAPEFRUIT
The 2023–24 forecast for grapefruit production is now 420,000 metric tons (MT), up from 415,000 MT the prior year. Of that, 202,000 MT is expected to be sold for processing.
The grapefruit planted area in South Africa in 2023–24 will continue its downward trend, shrinking 1% to 8,000 hectares. Grapefruit area peaked at around 9,900 hectares in 2011–12. Limpopo is the leading growing region for grapefruit, accounting for 56% of total area planted.
Exports of grapefruit are forecast at 218,000 MT, virtually unchanged from 2022–23 export volumes. The Netherlands was the leading market for South African grapefruit in 2022–23 (accounting for 34% of exports), followed by China (14%), Russia (10%) and Japan (8%).
South Africa is not a major importer of grapefruit. Imports are forecast at 5,000 MT in 2023–24, down from 8,000 MT the prior year.
TANGERINES/MANDARINS
South Africa’s 2023–24 tangerine/mandarin production forecast is 780,000 MT, up 8% from the previous season.
The tangerine/mandarin acreage is expected to increase by 1% to 27,000 hectares.
South Africa’s tangerine/mandarin exports are projected to increase by 8% to 670,000 MT in 2023–24. The European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) are the largest foreign markets, accounting for 45% of total exports.
South African imports are minimal and forecast to remain below 4,000 MT in 2023–24.
LEMONS
Lemon production in 2023–24 is forecast at 780,000 MT, an increase of 3% from the previous season.
The area planted with lemons in South Africa has more than doubled over the past eight years, driven by global demand and rising global prices. However, the positive trend in area planted with lemons has flattened in recent years due to the bearish movement of export prices. The lemon area is expected to decrease slightly to 18,000 hectares in 2023–24.
The lemon export forecast for 2023–24 is 585,000 MT, up marginally from the previous two years. The EU and UK remained the main markets for South African lemons in 2022–23, accounting for almost 47% of total exports.
South African imports of lemons in 2023–24 are projected to shrink to around 2,000 MT. In 2022–23, the country imported 2,358 MT of lemons.
Orange and orange juice production in South Africa are also expected to increase; get the details here.
Source: USDA FAS
Sponsored Content